According to the US government, it has struck a major blow against the Al Qaeda terrorist group. "Over the weekend, the United States conducted an anti-terrorist operation against a key al Qaeda target in Afghanistan," a senior government official said in Washington on Monday. "The operation was successful and there were no civilian casualties." No further details were initially given.
According to media reports, the head of the al-Qaeda terrorist network, Aiman al-Zawahiri, was killed in a drone attack in Afghanistan. According to US media such as the news channel CNN and the newspaper "New York Times", the target was al-Zawahiri, who was considered number two behind Osama Bin Laden. Al-Zawahiri had taken over the leadership of al-Qaeda after the death of Osama bin Laden, who was killed by US special forces in Pakistan in 2011.
US President Joe Biden wanted to comment on Monday evening (7:30 p.m. local time – Tuesday morning 1:30 a.m. CEST), as the White House announced. Biden should therefore speak on a balcony of the government headquarters. The President is currently in isolation due to an infection with the corona virus.
